House



-GERGE WESTINGHOUSE, lr.

improvearnen'c in Steam Engine Valves and Ports.

Patened June 6,8?1.

PATENT @Errea GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR., OF PITTSBU'RG, PENNSYLVANIA.

lMPRQVEMENT IN STEAM-ENGINE VALVES AND PORTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,668, dated June 6, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Wnsriwa HOUSE, J r., of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful, Improvement in Stearn- Engine-Valves and Ports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in whichv Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a main and auxiliary steamcylinder illustrative of my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the valves and valve-chambers employed in operating the auxiliary or reversing engine, and Fig. 3 is a plan or end view of the main cylinder-head and illustrative of the arrangement ci' the steam-ports.

' Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The construction ofsteam-engine to which my present improvement is particularly applicable is that shown and described in Letters Patent No. 106,899, granted to me 30th August, 1870, and relates more particularly to the construction oi'V the valves and ports, and the devices op erating in connection therewith, by which steam is admitted alternately into the opposite ends of the auxiliary or reversing cylinder.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improvement, I will proceed to def scribe its construction and mode of operation.

The main steam-cylinder B, auxiliary or reversing cylinder B', main piston I), and reversing-piston D are constructed as described in the Letters Patent above referred to. The main cylinder B is furnished with a steamchest, valves, valve-seats, valve-stem, and steam and exhaust ports, as described in said patent. The reversingstem d. and slot or oblong eye d have a like construction as there set forth, and for a like use. The reversing or auxiliary steam-cylinder B' is made in the upper end of or rests on a metallic base, B, andthe lowery face of this base rests on the outer main cylinder-head C. In the lower face of the base B" is a cylindrical valve-chamber, a, and in the outer' face of the cylinder-head C is a like valve-chamber, a. Both these valve-chambers have an axial line lin common,

and Vwhich is also the prolongation of the axial line of the main cylinder B. Each valvechamber contains a cylindrical valve, the upper one, c, being seated by two annular seats, as at c', on two like seats in the upper end of the valve-chamber a, and so that an annular groove or space, c, shall be included between the seats, as shown in Fig. 2.` The lower valve e is similarly seated,'as at e, in the lower end of the lower valve-chamber a', and also so as to leave an annular groove, c, between the seats, as also shown in Fig. 2. These valves, when seated, are far enough apart toy have a little vertical play. From the upper groove c a steam-port, e3, (shown in dotted lines,) leads to one end of the reversing-cylin der Bf, and from the lower groove e a like port, c3, leads to the opposite end, also shown in dotted lines.) By a steamport, a, (similarly shown,) steam is admitted from the main steam-chest into the reversing valve-chamber a a', but between the valves c and e. The pressure of the steam so admitted tends to keep both valves to their seats. To lift these valves alternately from their seats and allow the steam to pass alten nately into and through the annular grooves c and e", and by the ports c3 and e3 into the reversing-cylinder B', is the next feature to A be described. For this purpose both valves c e are placed loosely on a common valvefstem, By means of a knob, f', on the upper end A of this stern f, above the upper valve o, provision is made for depressing this valve from Y its seat. The lower valve c has, projecting from its lower face inside its annular seats, a

sleeve, c4, which passes over the valve-stem f and through a cylindrical hole in the main cylinder-head C, and into the main cylinder B, a. distance equal or about equal to the lift desired in that valve. The main piston-stem D" is hollow as at d, and the valve-stem f extends down into it, with a knob, f, on its Alower end. 0n the upper endbf the main lengages the knob j" and depresses or lowers A der B.

2 d 4 Haces,

the upper valve c. This vvalve is fitted on they stem f somewhat loosely, so as to leave a small annular space, s, between the valve and stem.

o over and uncovered the exhaust-port u, (shown in .dotted lines,) its motion will cease, the

steam will be exhausted out, and the pressureV of steam between the reversing-valves c e will seat the upper valve c, and so cut off the supply of steam to the reversing-cylinder B. The construction of the piston D', its operation, and the arrangement with reference thereto of the exhaust-port n, are substantially as described and shown in the Letters Patent already mentioned. The valves c e then remain seated till the main piston l) approaches the end of its upward stroke. Then the plate g willv strike the lower projecting, end of the sleeve e4 and lift the valve e from, its seat. This valve is made a very little smaller than its chamber, so as to leave a 'small annular steam-passage, s', between them. Hence steam will pass from the spacebetween the valves o e, down around the valve c, through the annular space s', under the valve and into the annular groove e, and thence, by the port e3, into the opposite end of the reversing-cylinder B. This will give the reversing-piston D a' reverse motion, and, of course, a reverse 0s` cillatory throw to the main valves.

The annular steam-passage s, instead of being made between the valve c and stem f, may be made around the valve, between it and the sides of chamber,though the former construction is on 'some accounts preferable. With the latter construction the valve o may be made fast on the stem f instead of loose, as described.

'As the cylindrical faces of the valves c e, working against the sides of the chamber in closingthem, become worn, they are liable to leak a little,-as it is called. To prevent this leakage from interfering with the perfect operation of the valves I open a port, x, ofv a comparatively small opening from the upper groove c to the exhaust-port fn, and a like groove, w', from the lower groove e to the same exhaust-port. But these portsx w are made so small, relatively, to the supply-port a, that they will not, when steam is admitted above and below the valves c e, as described, exhaust it off sufficiently to prevent or interfere with the operations described. The relative diameters of these ports may be about as one-sixteenth to one-eighth, more or less.

As the knob f is shown in the drawing to rest neatly on the top of the valve c, it will be obvious that some means should beV em-l ployed to permit the flow of steam'from the annular space s into the chamber a, above the valve c when the latter is depressed. For this purpose a groove or grooves may be made in the lower face of the knob f', extending ra dially out fromv the stem f; or similarly-arranged grooves may be made in the upper end of the valve o. As another means of effecting the same object I make a horizontal port, o, through the stem f, (shown in dotted lines,)

and from that port v a vertical port, fv, to the upper end ofthe knob f. The latter works loosely in its chamber w, so that steam may now pass from the annular space s, through the ports fv c', and when the valve c is depressed from its seat, into the groove c, and thence to the cylinder B', as already described.

If so preferred, the valves c e may be held to their seats by a spring arranged between them, instead of by steam, though I consider the latter mode of keeping them to their seats, on some accounts, the better.

Instead of the annular spaces s s', other suit;

able forms of steam-ports leading from loe-- tween the valves to the annular grooves, above and below, may be substituted 5 and if the valves are so constructed and arranged in their chambers that they cannot rotate, then the grooves ofte, as annular grooves, may be dispensed with, and a simple recess, covering each the mouth of `its respective port, will suffice. l

What I claim as my invention, and-desire toA secure by Letters Patent, is-Y--M l. A pair of valves arranged in a valvechamber, intermediate in the line of steam.v

communication between a main and a reversing or auxiliary steamcylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. A pair of independently and alternately acting valves,in combination with a steamport which admits steam between them and a pair of ports which conduct steam alternate ly from the seatingface of each valve to any auxiliary `steam-cylinder, substantiallyv as dea scribed.

3. The valves c e inclosing a steam-space be 4. The valve c, pressed to or toward its seat by steam or other suitablepressure, in combination with a stem, f, for lifting it from its seat and uncovering the port c3, arranged substantially as described.

5. The valve e having a sleeve, e4,.projecting into the cylinder B, arranged to be lifted from its seat against the pressure by the ac tion of the piston, and so as to uncover theport c3, substantially as set forth.

6. The valves c e, seated as described, in"

combination with annular grooves c e, port In testimony whereof I, the seid GEORGE 4 a c3 e3, and stem f, arranged substantially as WESTWGHOUSE, Jr., have hereunto set my set forth. hand. 7. The valves c e operated by and in comhnation with a. hollow piston-stem, substantiel GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR. lydescrbed.

8. The construction and arrangement of the Witnesses: ports m av with reference to the port a", and A. S. NICHOLSON7 in combination with the valves c e, substan- G. H. CHRISTY.

tially es described. 

